Drum gauge having aligned faucet and drum coupling



Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES *PATENT OFFICE-i;

DRUM GAUGE HAVING ALIGNED FAUCE'I` AND DRUM COUPLING Bearl El Colburn, Green Bay, Wis. Application March 18, 194:8,` Serial No. 15,588 `e claims. (di. 'z3-311) device in which a pointer shaft extending transversely of the rectilinear passage through which iiow occurs is actuated by simple connections including an operatingmember reciprocable 1ongitudinally of such passage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a` device of universal application, requiring only a changein dial calibrations and a change in length of the flow rodto be adapted for drums of different sizes. i i

Itis a further object of the invention to provide-a novel and improved means for operating l the pointer of the gauge, such means including `an elbowed float arm and across head provided witha guide` mounted at the endiof the -fitting nipp1e,the arrangement being such that the i guide and the cross head, the elbowed float arm and the iioat, together withithe connectinglinkage, are all receivable through the delivery opening of the barrel or drum. Y l .I

Further objects of theinvention includea simple means for adjusting the pointer for calibration; a novel member for converting rectilinear reciprocation intorotative movement into actuation for the pointer; and a device which, with- 'lutiocking the float arm in its low level position, can be screwed into a full drum, the float being so positioned that it will cam around the curved interior of the drum during the rotation of the tting. These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the i following disclosure thereof. i Y

In the drawings: Fig.y 1 is a view in sideelevaticn `of my im: proved gauge assembled with a faucet and drum, the latter being shownv in section. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the gauge casing in section, portions of the operating mechanisin being illustrated in elevation. Fig. 3 is 'a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, portions being broken away to expose the interior construction.

Figg 4 isaview orjthedevice in endelevation, d

2 portions thereof being broken away to the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 in Fig, 2.

Fig 5 is a detail view illustrating in perspective the pointer, pointer shaft and gear, and the gear actuating" member, as these parts appear somewhat separated. i l

My improved gauge is applicable to any standard barrel or drum such as the drum indicated-at 'I in Fig. 1. Such a. drum has a threaded opening at 8 adapted to receive a dispensing faucet such as that shown at 9. My improved gauge comprises the casing ID having a threaded nipple II receivable into the tapped opening 8 and a threaded socket at I2 which receives vthe complementary nipple I3iof the faucet B. Thus, the casing III intervenes between the drum and the faucet, and it will be noted that the inlet through the nipple II and the delivery through the socket I2 are aligned, providing a straight passage through the chamber I4 in the interior of `casing I0. I

Disposed vertically in the chamber I4 is the i pointer shaft I5 which carries a gear I8 asbest shownin Figs. 4 and 5. Above the gear, which maybe soldered to the. shaft as shown at I1;in Fig; 4i,l the shaft is enlarged at I8, having a shoulder I I8 spaced from the gear.` At its upper end, the enlarged portion I8 of the shaft is pro- I vided with a tapped opening .2li for the' screw 2| which tightens the pointer 22 upon the washer 23.r If the screw .is loosened, the pointer may readily be adjusted angularly respecting the shaft for the purpose (of calibration. The tightening of the screw will hold the pointer to `the shaft to rotate therewith.

The top of thecasing I0 is annular in `cross section and externally` threaded at 24 to receive the clamping ring 25. Seated on the top `of the casing and held by the clamping,` ring 25 are the annular gasket 26, a transparent disk 2l, a disk 28 which is preferably made of metallic foil and printed with any desired calibrations, and a top transparent disk 29 which is preferably relatively heavy.` To prevent tampering, Ipreferably, although not necessarily, apply an adhesive before screwing on the retaining ring 25 so that such `ring can be removed only with a wrench.

The `upper part of chamber I4, in which the pointer 22 operates, may communicatefreelywith the lower part of such chamber if desired, but I prefer to provide at 30 an interiorl annular shoulder in the upper part of the casing upon which Iseat a disk 3l which providesa bearing for the enlarged portion I8 of `the pointer shaft. While the `1mois: `disriiinses1 `through me gauge body may communicate with the partitioned portion of chamber I4 in which the pointer 22 operates, it will be apparent that there can be no substantial flow through the chamber portion thus partitioned by disk 3 I On the lower side of the nipple II I provide a boss Iat 32 having an aperture 33 in which is fixed a bar 34 serving asa guide for a cross head member 3,5. Pivote'd atSS to the end of ther bar 34is an elbowed oat lever 37 provided at its end with Ya tapped opening to receive the Vthreaded end `38 of a float rod 39, at the end of which any desired number of float elements 4i) are mounted.

At ornear the elbow in lever 31 is a fulorum 4I for the link i2 which is also pivoted at 43 to the cross head 35, the arrangement being suchthat as the float at the end of rod-39 rises and falls, movement will be communicated from the elbowed lever 31 throughv link 42 at the cross head v35 to reciprocate the cross head on the guide bar Motion iscommunicated from' the cross head ^tothegauge'pointer"22 by means of the actuat- ""ing'member 44 Whichgfor perfect freedom of movement, is preferably, lthough notl necessarily, Jpiyoted at 45 to the cross head. Thernember 44 inlay be'madeo'fja stamping to comprise a plate mhaving aslotid which isreceived on shai'tfi be- ItWeen 'the "shoulder I9 Yand lthe gear Iii. The 1plateihasaY longitudinally extending downwardly turnedflange a-tlil provided Witha. series of iapertures' in which `the successive teeth of the .gear :ITS 4engage to receive motion V:irom'the actu- Y ating `member'lid as suchmemberisreciprocated longitudinally ofthe discharge passa-gein consequence of .the'reciprocated'motion imparted to 'the crosshead 35 bythe'iloat. The'rnargins of .the platealong the slot 4B engage the shaft i5 to Y :receive .guidance therefrom and thereby to maintain the proper mesh of theapertured flange 4l *with theteeth of thegear I5, while physical-support for the actuating member is provided by the .,gealn ,Since .themovement ofthe cross head is rectilinearjthe only reason forthe fulcrurn at 45 is.to.permit free selffadjustmentof'the actuating l .memberwith respect to the pointer 'shaft vand n `gear so ,thatsnch member can take its position V`1fromtheshaft and gear.

As is evident in Fig/1, the iioat, iloat'rod,' oat lever 31, link.42, cross head 35, andguidefbar 34 i .all lie within the vprojected diameter ofl the. nipple -I I or. suiiciently vclose t'l'iereto .so that `the Vparts j n the position illustrated irl-Fig, 1l can' r'eadily'be manipulated through the delivery openingV 8 `oi' it may be observed that I prefer to use for the ltransparentdisks atr2'l and 29 a transparent plas- `tic rather than glass.

The disk 28 is preferably madeof tinfoil, and to adapt the gauge for containers of different sizes, it is merely necessary to use an interchangeable dial with calibrations appropriate for the particular size of the drum with which the gauge is tobe used. While the disk 28 is opaque, it wiil be` noted to have in it a hole atllsuiciently large to expose the pointer-22 for -the `full ran'geo'f movement thereof,

It -is considered advantageous, in viewofthel position in which dru'n'islv are ordinarily located, that-my improved gauge may be read from above or either side according tov the A'extent to-which it is threaded into the drum.

I claim:

1. A gauge comprising a-casing having afdeliverypassage, a guidemember projecting from VVthe casingyarcross--headreciprocable on theguide member, a; oat lever Yhaving a link connecting it "With the cross head and having a fulcrum connecting it with the'guide member, and anactuatving':memberconnected with `thecro'ss head and projecting longitudinally of said passage, and an ii'idicatcr, having an `operative'driving connection with said member to receive motion therefrom.

2. In a gauge of the character described, the

combination With a casing providedV Vwith a `threaded nipple having an inletk passagefof a guide bar` projecting axially fromsaidnipp'le'at one side of said passage, a'reciprocating cross f head slidably -mounted on thebar and projecting therefrom toward theopposite side'of the passage, yan indicator within the casing 'having an opierative 'driving connection from the vcro-ss head, and an elbowed oat leverpivoted to saidy bar and having'.4 adjacent its velbow, alink ypivoted tov said lever Vand pivotedV togsaid ncross khead whereby to cause'the'cross head 'to reciprocate' on the bar'to actuate the. driving connection V,onl `pivotal imovement of the floatlever, A .BEARL'E COLBURN.

Y 'ingthrough 'this'straightpassage oiersso little 75 `the drum. vAssigning the drum 'to beV full when VV.theiioatis introduced, thef'float Will tend to rise inthe drum,.but.the elbowedlever carries the. Y float rod ina position such that regardless ofthe Vthrust of the fioat,..the curved linterior surfaceof vthe drum will cam the floattowardthe aligned Y position of 1 during .such rotation of the V.REFERENCES `CITED l The` followingv references are :of record. in the file of thispatent: e

UNITED ns'rirree PATEN'rs rvrgaugetting as is required to screw the nipple I I Nuglg Mmlme A 'Augnlgov mto .the drum' 1,072,122 Johnston ,:Sept; ,2`1913 With. the gauge fitting applied to the drum and l 231 30G RVWOHQT i *Jun V26, 1917 vthe sightdisks properly positionedtoexposethe 126657 .Waes f A 251918 Dointer22 to vewthe faucet is screwedfintojtheV 1*347243 Bedq1g-- Julp o 1920 .gauge tting, and the assembly is ready for use. l 423 4'11 Finch -Juliy -181'922 Y It is quite an advantage in the use ofthe device *1514520 'Hazard-Ei n Ng f 1f-"1924 Ythat-the liquid tobe dispensed fromV the drumcan i '199'7002 edou'x '"Y---Y V- ,9'1935 flowreotilinearly through a straight passagefrom Y 2118727 'Hanes --M Wr-1938 the'drum to the faucet, as any angle or change of 2216917 Klumb 21 8 "1,940 c fdirection'in'the 'delivery passage constitutes` a "e" :Y .materialobstruction to flow. jIt isalso advan- FOREIGN PATENTS y Y tageous (that Vthe operating mechanism extend- Nambe? Y Country `vDate Y V520,520 Great Britain .-.Ap1". 25,1940 

